Heucherella plant named ‘Tapestry’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Heucherella  plant substantially as shown and described, characterized by leaves colored blue green in spring and summer changing to green in the fall and winter with a large dark center following the veins, and a silver veil or overlay, palmately lobed leaves, numerous stalks of warm pink flowers, and excellent vigor.

Botanical denomination: ×Heucherella.

Variety designation: ‘Tapestry’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of×Heucherella and given the cultivar name of ‘Tapestry’. Heucherella isin the family Saxifragaceae. Heucherella ‘Tapestry’ originated from acontrolled cross between Heuchera 507 (a proprietary unreleased Heucheraspp.), as the seed parent, and an unknown Tiarella (massed, proprietary,cut leaf types) as the pollen parent. ‘Tapestry’ was the best selectionof a large group of seedlings from the cross. It has very attractivefoliage and flowers.

This new Heucherella is distinguished by:

-   -   1. leaves colored blue-green in spring and summer changing to        green in the fall and winter with a large dark center following        the veins, and a silver veil or overlay,    -   2. palmately lobed leaves,    -   3. numerous stalks of warm pink flowers, and    -   4. excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(cuttings and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by divisionand tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques withterminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that theforegoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The newvariety has not been evaluated under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environmentwithout a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a one-year-old Heucherella ‘Tapestry’ growing in the groundin the trial bed in Canby, Oreg. in mid-spring.

FIG. 2 shows a one year old Heucherella ‘Tapestry’ in bloom growing inthe garden in early summer in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 3 shows the same plant the next winter.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Heucherella cultivarbased on observations of a one-year-old specimen growing in a 1 galloncontainer in a cool greenhouse in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on theUSDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95 degrees F. inAugust to an average of 32 degrees F. in January. Normal rainfall inCanby is 42.8 inches per year. The color descriptions are all based onThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart.

-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—Basal rosette, herbaceous perennial.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4 to 9.        -   Size.—14 cm tall from top of the foliage to the ground and            25 cm wide.        -   Habit.—Mounding.        -   Vigor.—Excellent.        -   Roots.—Fibrous, freely branching, fine, and white in color;            roots develop easily from cuttings.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Arrangement.—Rosette.        -   Shape.—Ovate to broadly ovate.        -   Lobing/division.—5 main rounded lobes with the terminal the            longest, each with rounded secondary lobes.        -   Venation.—Palmate.        -   Margins.—Crenate.        -   Apex.—Mucronulate.        -   Base.—Cordate, overlapping.        -   Blade size.—Usually 9 cm wide and 10 cm long (range from 5            cm to 13 cm long and 5.5 cm to 13 cm wide).        -   Surface texture.—Sparsely glandular both surfaces.        -   Texture.—Thin, leathery.        -   Petiole description.—8 cm to 12 cm long and 2.5 mm wide,            glandular hairs, Yellow Green RHS 146B tinted with Brown RHS            200C near the base.        -   Leaf color.—Spring top side — Green RHS 137A with a dark            pattern along the veins, between Greyed Purple RHS 187A and            Black RHS 202A and a veil or overlay of Greyed Green RHS            190A making the leaf have a blue tone. Spring bottom side —            Green RHS 137C with a light brown shade where pattern is on            top. Fall and winter topside — Green RHS 138A with the            blotch closest to Brown RHS 200A and the veil Grey RHS 201C.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Size.—Grows to 5 cm wide and 20 cm long.        -   Type.—Thryse.        -   Number of flowers per raceme.—About 150 per thryse.        -   Number of raceme.—11.        -   Peduncle.—48 cm tall, 3 mm wide at base, Brown RHS 200B,            glandular hairs, with 0 to 1 petiolate cauline leaves            (ovate, blades 1.5 cm to 4.5 cm long and 1.5 cm to 4 cm wide            with 3 to 5 lobes, no blotch, margin serrate and Greyed            Purple RHS 187A, blade Green RHS 137A).        -   Pedicel.—Variable, with glandular hairs, Brown RHS 100B.        -   Bloom period.—May through June in Canby, Oreg.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—2.5 mm wide and 4 mm long.        -   Description.—Glandular puberulent, ovoid.        -   Color.—Red Purple 74C.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—Perfect.        -   Shape.—Starry.        -   Size.—4 mm long and 7 mm wide.        -   Petal description.—5 in number, lanceolate; 3.5 mm long, tip            acuminate, base attenuate, margin entire, glabrous on top            side, sparsely glandular on bottom; Red Purple RHS 73D on            both sides.        -   Calyx description.—5 mm long and 5 mm wide, with 5 lobes,            divided ½ way to the base, campanulate, glandular inside and            out, tip acute, margin entire, lobes inside and outside Red            Purple RHS 74C, tube inside Red Purple RHS 73D, tube outside            Red Purple RHS 74D.        -   Stamen description.—5, filaments 3 mm long, Red Purple RHS            73D, anthers sterile, less than 1 mm, Grey Brown RHS 199B.        -   Pistil description.—One central two beaked pistil, 6 mm            long, Red Purple RHS 73D overall.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Lastingness.—Each raceme blooms for about 2 weeks on the            plant.-   Fruit and seed: None.-   Disease and pest tolerance: Although never seen, there is no known    resistance to rust, a common problem with Heucherella. Excellent    disease tolerance to powdery mildew. All Heucherella are susceptible    to root weevils.

COMPARISON TO SIMILAR HEUCHERELLA

Compared to Heucherella ‘Viking Ship’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,825), thisnew variety is larger and has colored leaves rather than just greenleaves.

Compared to Heucherella ‘Heart of Darkness’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.14,489), the new variety has warm pink rather than white flowers andstrongly lobed leaves rather than slightly lobed.

The Heuchera seed parent, 507, had strongly veiled green leaves with redflowers. The Tiarella pollen parent was a well cut and well markedselection.

1. A new and distinct Heucherella plant as herein illustrated anddescribed.